Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-01-08
To be Continued.
The Church on Communists.

The Catholic church OF this countr,
has maintained at all times dignitied
position in relation to political parties
and has never failed to warn the weak
fand admonish the crafty when oyertu, o.
have been made to procure its powerful
influence in political matters to advance
the interest of trieksters whether they
present themselves as Anarchists. Pro-
hibitionists, COmm@nists, or knights OF
Labor. Archbishop Corrigan, Of New
York uses this language in his pastoral
letter:
Undoubtedly God made the earth for
the use OF all mankind; but whether the
possession thereof was 20 be in common
or by individual ownership, was geft for
reason to determine. Such deteymina-
ton, Judging from the facts of history.
the sanction of law, from the teacning
oil the wisest, and the actions of the. best
and bravest of mankind, has been, and
is, that man can, by lawful acts, become
possessed OF the right of ownership in
property, and not merely in its use.
The reason is because naan is ssssctlv
entitled TO that OF which he is the pro-
duclng cause, to the improvement he
brings about in it, and the endowment
Of both. But it is clear that in a farm.
for instance, which one has by patient
toll improved in value, in block of
marble out OF which one has chiseled
perfect statute, he can not fully enjoy the
Improvement he has. caused unless he
have also the right to own the object
thus improved. He has a strict right-
and evil are the laws and systems which
ignore ito compensation for the i'm
provement which is his. To strivemake
an argument against ownership i'm land
by reasoning on the usniversaI dissribu-
tion OF AIR and light is only freak Of
the imagination. Human industry can
not scatter cloud from before the face
OF the sun ncr lift fog that may be
freighted with dangerous vapors we
take the light and the air rs God gives
them, and we owe Him thanks for His
bounty. 1t was only the earth which
fell under the primeval curse when
man had sinned, and only the earth,
not the air or light, which mans in
dustrious toll can coax back to some
thing like its original fruitfulness.
w hen he has done this his Just reward is |
to enjoy the results without hindrance
from others. Even in such necessary,
abundant and free commodity as water, |
II man, by artificial means, congeals a |
portion of this into ice, is he not enti-
tied to enjoy its exclusive ownership? |
Can ne not demand for it with Justice |
equivalent to his indus
try.
Once deny the right OF ownership and |
you SOW the seed of stagnation in hui
man enterprise. Who would burrow
The earth 10 draw forth its buried treas
nres If the very mine he was working
were at the mercy OF the passer-by
whom its riches might attract? Who
would watch with eagerness the season
when to sow and reap and to gather the
harvest which is the very fruit of his
abors ii he is told that those who stand
oy the wayside idle are equally entitled
% its enjoyment?
The Philadelphia Telegraph calls up
IN the leaders of the Protestant church
n the United States to do in the name
u their denominations what the Catho-
ic Archbishop has done in the name OF
lis.